Justice Department sues Georgia over voting

ATLANTA -- The Justice Department is suing the state of Georgia, charging the state's voting procedures are inadequate to ensure that military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas can fully participate in the state's Aug. 21 federal primary runoff election, should one be necessary, as well as future federal runoff elections.

The Justice Department said it sued because under Georgia's election calendar, official runoff election ballots will not be available to be sent until after July 7, the 45th day before this year's primary runoff election. Justice said that under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), a ballot must be sent 45 days in advance of future runoff elections for federal office.

The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta by U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, named Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp as a defendant along with the state.